Posted by: Troy White
April 15, 2008
Issue #396

How to Create Web-Store
Excitement and Loyalty

In this issue:

• 10 off-the-wall ideas to improve your customer service and keep them coming back to buy more …

• The simple comparison that may help you double or triple your web sales …

• Getting them involved, having fun, and buying again and again …

• And Much More!

Fellow Business Builder,

Have you ever wondered if there might just be a better way to leverage your website? 

I’m not talking about the long copy sales letter sites, but a company site that is designed to showcase your company and your multiple products and services.

Many of these types of sites are an absolute mess – and are experiencing a tough time to make consistent sales and customer loyalty. Others with hundreds of products to sell run multi-million dollar empires online.

What’s the difference?

Their web strategy.  Some people look at the website as a one-hit-wonder … others see it as an entry place for an exciting adventure. 

Both work, but one is more sustainable over time.

I contend that many business owners should be looking at these types of websites as if they were a high-end retail store that caters to a more discerning clientele.

Imagine if you were to look at most websites, maybe your own, as if they were an actual retail store, and you were paying tens of thousands of dollars a month for rent.

• Would your website look the same?
• Would you still do business the way you do?
• Would you treat browsers or first time shoppers the same?
• Would you treat your existing customers the same?
• Would you sell products the same way that you do now?

There are a hundred different questions you need to ask yourself about this, but for now we are going to look at different ideas to spice up your website and drive quality, paying clients into your new store.

Think about all the retail stores you frequent in your city … Which ones stand out to you?  Which ones would you go out of your way to visit and buy from?  Sadly, there aren’t too many of them around.  In Calgary, where I live, there are a few that cater to their clients and make it an unforgettable experience … but in a city of over a million people, you’d think there would be more than a few.

Here are some ideas for you to make your store more attractive to buyers:

• The first thing you should do is have a person dedicated to making shopping with you more enjoyable.  A marketing assistant or coordinator whose job it is to help you implement all the marketing ideas you create.
• You can draw one name a week from your new buyers list.  That person would get their name put up on your site as the customer of the week (with photo – much like an employee of the week). Give them a surprise or two – maybe some simple acts of kindness they are not quite used to.  Simple things can make a huge impact with your clients.  They just aren’t used to getting anything remotely resembling quality service these days – this gives you the chance to be the one and only person who treats them like gold.
• Everyone loves a good laugh – Add a small box on your main page that has a joke of the day (keep them clean). You can even have your customers submit their best joke – do a weekly draw for the best joke and give them a gift certificate for future purchases.
• Treat them like royalty.  If there is any way possible you can leverage technology to have repeat shoppers either login for future purchases, or have cookies on their computer that tells your store they are repeat customers … use it!  By having your web site recognize them by first name (even by past purchases as well), you create a bond that is not easily broken.
  

  High Point University is very fortunate to have President Nido Qubein on board.  A master of marketing (and Chairman of the Great Harvest Bread Company), Nido has established High Point as one of the top universities in the nation. 

  In the past two years, campus visits have grown 70%, and enrollments are up 63% (while tuitions have increased proportionately).  Three of his treat-them-like-royalty secrets: (1) When a family books in for a visit, they are greeted with personalized parking stalls (their names on the stall), (2) they get to meet with Nido personally on their tour, and (3) the students get personal valet service so they don’t have to walk across campus late at night.

  [SIDE NOTE: One way you can incorporate technology to create tighter bonds with your customers and prospects is to use technologies like ChatWise (which provides interactive web chat with live operators) and call back buttons which they can click and a live operator will phone them immediately back to answer their questions or concerns.]

• Make it more personal. Here is a simple way to get both your employees and your customers personally involved … their pets.  Have a “pet of the week contest.”  Customers and employees can submit their pet’s photos, their information, and any funny stories about their pets to you. Choose two or three of them per week and have them posted on your website.  Everyone loves pets – and this is a great way to get them coming back – and to get them telling their friends about their pet Spot whose photo and story is up on this website.
• Have a “before and after” or makeover contest. All the rage on reality shows these days … tap into it!  Find ways to incorporate before and after photos, stories and case studies with your customers.  Give them lots of publicity and get the press involved as well.
• What do your gift bags contain?  A unique idea that few people online are using is to give away real live gift bags with either purchase or form completion.  Gift bags can contain all kinds of sales materials for your own products, your partners products, and your other associated websites and offers.  Many times you can have gift bags created and filled for free through the use of co-op programs and marketing funds from your suppliers.
• Shopping isle placements.  Much like retail stores and big box outlets, you can place special bundles, hot sellers, or low priced items in easy to find places.  These are usually done strategically to get your customer in the buying mood, and to subtly (or not so subtly) add more to her cart until her order is 5-10 times what the first item she bought was worth.
• Jackpot anyone?  Put an automated roulette wheel or slot machine on your webpage.  Let them roll the dice or pull the handle and see what number comes up – that number will be their discount off their first purchase. While discounting is not my preferred method of increasing sales, it can certainly help put a spike in the numbers and add a significant number of new clients to the database.
• Sports teams.  Hire a local sports celebrity and have him represent your business with photos, simple videos, endorsements, etc.  If a local star is not possible or financially feasible, look into past sports stars.  Give away team memorabilia with purchase (based on purchase volume, which determines how much memorabilia they get as a bonus). Have a “crazy fans” contest – have them do crazy videos, etc. about how much they love their team.  Have a “pick the score” contest – anyone who enters the contest and predicts the exact score wins a _____.  Have fun with this – sports fans are a little off the wall and will do anything for their team!

Yes, these ideas may seem off the wall – but that is the point. 

In the Web 2.0 world, people are looking for something
more than the same old same old.

They want a unique experience – and are willing to pay for it.  They want a community to bond with. They want more fun in their life. And they want a place to escape from everyday realities they may not want to face. I hope this list gives you an idea or two that you can put to use on your website to make more money and to build closer ties with your customers.

To your success,

Troy White
Editor, Small Business Mastery
Supplement to THE TOTAL PACKAGE™

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A Final Note:

If you have specific subjects you would like addressed, or have any comments on what you have seen here, please submit a comment below and I will see how I can help.

"Don’t wait. The time will never be just right.”

–Napoleon Hill

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Related posts

• Paul Hartunian Interview
• Create Value and Keep em Coming Back
• “What Does Not Kill You Makes You Stronger!” – Frederick Nietzsche
• How to Create Grand-Slam Winners for the World Wide Web
• How to Find Customers in a Web 2.0 World

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4 Comments »

1. Comment by Glen Kohlenberg — April 15, 2008 @ 5:09 pm

   Great Ideals Troy we are always looking for things out side the box these days. You gave me some good ways to start thinking about our business and how we can start doing some things. Thank you.

2. Comment by Lisa Willard — April 15, 2008 @ 6:31 pm

   Great information.  I’m always looking for unique ways to help my partner’s retail success.  These are some great ideas to implement. 

3. Comment by Toni — April 16, 2008 @ 9:12 am

   Troy

   How did you know I needed to hear this great stuff…

   Thanks
   Toni

4. Comment by Geoffrey — April 22, 2008 @ 9:34 am

   I’ve bought some of your products and am an avid reader.  I’m asking for articles covering my type of situation.   By the way I own a small hotel.
   a.  At my stage I cannot do long copy, but a sales letter of about two pages to be used as email or given to members of certain clubs or groups would suit my business at present.
   b.  Clayton’s ”create an enemy” technique is fine for an expert using ling copy, but would be far too risky for me to try.
   c.   In long copy there is  always very strong sales pressure that is gradually built into the copy and repeated.
   d.  In short copy, without the relentless build-up, how strong  can the sales pressure be, before it becomes off-putting?

   I would be glad to get other readers comments too.